Apple orienting and coring machine



June 25, 1968 R, ANDERSON ET AL 3,389,730

APPLE ORIENTING AND CORING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original FiledMarch z, 1964 INVENTORS GERALD R. ANDERSON SHERMAN N. OREED JOHN I. PARKER ATTORNEY June 25, 1968 ANDERSON ET AL 3,389,730

APPLE ORIENTING AND CORING MACHINE Original Filed March 2,, 1964 16 Sheets-Sheet :3-

FII3 ElA 64 64 TlI3 :3

mam U INVENTORS GERALD R. ANDERSON SHERMAN H. OREED JOHN T. PARKER M [0. Maw ATTORNEY June 25, 1968 G, R, ANDERSON ET AL 3,389,730

APPLE ORIENTING AND CORING MACHINE Original Filed March 1;, 1964 Q 0 0 O O INVENTORS GERALD R. ANDERSON SHERMAN H. OREED JOHN T. PARKER ww QN P c H fl I m m y m m D H w Q r UV. H n I Q Y H w .III mm, .i L n n I\\ p w m w N- .11 g m L Q ww; n v a .M L w WMV Nm m Y E N R O W A June 25, 1968 G. R. ANDERSON ET AL 3,

APPLE ORIENTING AND CORING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed March 1, 1964 INVENTORS GERALD R. ANDERSON SHERMAN H. OREED JOHN T. PARKER M ATTORNEY June 25, 1968 G. R. ANDERSON ET AL 3,389,730

APPLE ORIENTING AND CORING MACHINE Original Filed March :5,

16 Sheets-Sheet 6 m m win a van. n NDAT A L" 2 a mum w 6 5 O 8 .www 4 8 man. 3 4 3 444 v m 6 W o a m G 4 AM 7 M 1 2 Ba... M p N. N4 41w 1 4 L 4 3 m M m M; \J kflul W a {I 2 n I 5 .w f a w J .7} I H u 5 u U a 0 4 m! I m m! 60 mu n W a a A; i H m a m 4% 4 4 2 i 5 5 4 8 4 w n \I 9 2 a M 3 M m w 8 June 25, 1968 G. R. ANDERSON ET AL 3,389,730

APPLE ORIENTING AND CORiNG MACHINE Original Filed March 2;, 1964 16 Sheets-Sheet F'IE E] INVENTORS GERALD R. ANDERSON SHERMAN H. GREED JOHN T. PARKER ATTORNEY June 25, 1968 G. R. ANDERSON ET AL 3,389,730

APPLE ORIENTING AND CORING MACHINE Original Filed March t, 1964 16 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTORS GERALD R. ANDERSON SHERMAN H. GREED JOHN T. PARKER M W ATTORNEY June 25, 1968 G. R. ANDERSON ET AL 3,389,730

APPLE ORIENTING AND CURING MACHINE Original Filed March j. 1964 16 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS GERALD R. ANDERSON SHERMAN H. GREED JOHN T. PARKER M WW ATTORNEY June 25, 1968 ANDERSON ET AL 3,389,730

APPLE ORIENTING AND CORING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 10 Original Filed March 1964 5:4 I F'IB 1EI R. ANDERSON N H. GREED JOHN T. PARKER JAM ATTORNEY June 25, 1968 G. R. ANDERSON ET AL 3,389,730

APPLE ORIENTING AND CORING MACHINE l5 Sheets-Sheet 11 Original Filed March 2;, 1964 Nm m5 #8 .mm 0 0 v v N QP INVENTORS aim ATTORNEY 5. mi mrmr June 25, 1968 R ANDERSON ET AL 3,389,730

APPLE ORIENTING AND CORING MACHINE l6 Sheets-Sheet 12 Original Filed March :3, 1964 6 5 7 "a v s 6:1. i e x 6 e 7 8 7 TTORNEY June 25, 1968 ANDERSON ET AL 3,389,730

APPLE ORIENTING AND CORING MACHINE Original Filed March 2, 1964 16 Sheets-Sheet 14 FIB 2E] ii I M M M ATTORNEY June 25 19 68 G. R. ANDERSON ET AL 3,389,730

APPLE ORIENTING AND CORING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 15 Original Filed March 1964 wm m June 25, 1968 ANDERSON ET AL 3,389,730

APPLE ORIENTING AND CORING MACHINE Original Filed March :5, 196-1 16 Sheets-Sheet 16 92:3 mQw INVENTORS GERALD R. ANDERSON SHERMAN H. OREED JOHN T. PARKER Y E N R O W A EOkFOm ErSQ 8560 mwImDa mohouau fimhw om mm mnrwql United States Patent APPLE ORIENTING AND CORING MACHINE Gerald R. Anderson, Campbell, and Sherman H. Creed and John T. Parker, San Jose, Calif., assignors to FMC Corporation, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Original application Mar. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 348,485, now

Patent No. 3,310,084, dated Mar. 21, 1967. Divided and this application Nov. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 606,487

7 Claims. (Cl. 146-52) This application is a division of application Ser. No. 348,485, filed Mar. 2, 1964, now Patent No. 3,310,084.

The present invention pertains to apparatus for processing fruit and more particularly relates to an apparatps for orienting apples or the like, and for removing the stem material and the seed cell from each apple in accordance with the size of the apple.

The apparatus of the present invention is arranged to adapt fruit-preparation machines of the type disclosed in copending application of Gerald R. Anderson et al. Ser. No. 221,174 filed on Sept. 4, 1962; and copending application of Gerald R. Anderson, Ser. No. 206,955, filed July 2, 1962, now Patent Nos. 3,199,558 and 3,246,676, respectively to handle apples rather than pears. Since many of the features of the present apparatus are similar to those disclosed in the above mentioned applications, only those features which are different and which constitute the subject invention will be described in detail.

In order to automatically remove the stern material and the seed cells from apples without removing an excessive amount of edible material from the apples, and without leaving portions of the seed cells within the apples, the apples must first be oriented so that they are supported either on their relatively fiat stem ends or blossom ends, with their axes disposed in a substantially vertical plane. Since apples are not always symmetrical and the stemblossom axis of each apple is not always perpendicular to the apple supporting plane, in addition to the initial orienting operation, the stem-blossom axis of each apple must be accurately aligned immediately before the apple is engaged by a stemming tube and must again be aligned immediately before the apple is engaged by a seed cell, or coring cutter.

It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide apparatus for orienting apples so that the apples are supported either on their stern ends or on their blossom ends.

Another object is to provide an apparatus for orienting apples or the like either on their stem or blossom ends and thereafter removing the stem material and seed cell from the fruit.

Another object is to provide an apple orienting apparatus arranged to orient apples either on their stem ends or on their blossom ends, and to move each apple to a predetermined feed position.

Another object is to provide apparatus for reliably transferring oriented apples from a feed position into a carrier pocket of a processing conveyor while maintaining the orientation of the apples.

Another object is to provide means for centering an apple in a carrier pocket while maintaining its stem-bl0ssom axis substantially vertical.

Another object is to provide apparatus for seeking the cavities on each end of an apple so as to move the stemblossom axis of the apple into exact alignment with the axis of a cutting tool regardless of whether or not the stem-blossom axis of the apple is parallel to the cutting tool when the apple is supported on one of its ends in a carrier pocket that is aligned with the cutting tool.

Another object is to provide apparatus for controlling the vertical position of the seed cell removing cutter, and the diameter of cut which the seed cell cutter makes 3,389,730- Patented June 25, 1968 "ice in the apple, in accordance with the height of the apple being processed.

I Another object is to provide improved apparatus for holding the apple from rotation during the seed cell removing or coring operation.

' Another object is to provide a seed cell removing cutter shaped to serve as a re-centering tool as well as a seed cell removing tool.

Another object is to provide a device for Washing the seed cell material from the seed cell of the apple after the seed cell has been severed from the whole apple.

Another object is to provide means for positively discharging the stem material from the stemming tube.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the apple processing machine of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a schematic plan of the machine of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken along lines 33 of FIGURE 2 showing the apple orienting and transfer mechanism.

FIGURE 3A is an enlarged section taken along lines 3A3A of FIGURE 4 showing a portion of the orienting mechanism.

'FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, generally horizontal section of the orienting mechanism taken along lines 4-4 of FIGURE 1, certain parts being cut away.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged perspective of a portion of the transfer mechanism, certain parts being broken away.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged perspective of a portion of a main processing conveyor showing an apple receiving pocket.

FIGURE 7 is a schematic vertical central section of an oscillating carriage and vertically reciprocable carriers supported by the carriage of the stemming and coring unit, the operating components of the unit being removed, and the carriers being shown in two operative positions.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged vertical central section taken along lines 88 of FIGURE 2 showing operating components of the stemming and coring unit mounted on the carriage and carriers of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged perspective looking in the direction of arrow 9 in FIGURE 1 showing a fragment of the carriage and the structure for mounting the centering pins and recentering pins.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective looking in the same direction as FIGURE 9 and showing certain structure for controlling the actuation of the stem ejector rods, certain parts being broken away.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged vertical section of the stemming and coring unit similar to FIGURE 8 but showing certain of the operating components in section.

FIGURES 12 through 15 are operational views showing progressive steps in the stemming operation.

FIGURE 16 is a perspective of a fragment of the stemming and coring unit looking towards the rear of the machine, certain parts being removed.

FIGURE 17 is an enlarged vertical contral section through one of the coring units.

FIGURE 17A is an enlarged horizontal section taken along lines 17A-17A of FIGURE 17.

FIGURES 18 and 19 are operational views showing the coring units coring a large apple and a small apple, respectively.

FIGURES 20 through 23 are operational views showing progressive steps in the recentering and core removing operations.

FIGURE 24 is a timing diagram for the transfer mechanism.

FIGURE 25 is a timing diagram for the stemming and coring unit.

In order to better understand the features of the apple processing machine of the present invention, a general description of the machine will be given before the parts pertinent to the present invention will be described in detail.

The apple processing machine 20 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) is a multi-lane machine adapted to simultaneously process a plurality of rows of apples, the machine shown in the drawings having eight lanes L. Apples are dumped in bulk into a multi-lane shufite feed singulator 22 of the type disclosed in the copending application of D. W. Chamberlin, Ser. No. 174,118, which Was filed on Feb. 19, 1962, and is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The singulator 22 discharges transverse rows of apples into an orienting mechanism 24, a single apple of each transverse row being received in each longitudinally extending lane L. The orienting mechanism 24 shifts each apple to a stable position wherein it is supported either on its relatively fiat stem end or on its relatively fiat blossom end. The orienting mechanism 24 includes a spacing conveyor 25 that moves each transverse row of apples onto a dead plate 26 (FIG. 3) where each apple remains until gripped by one pair of a plurality of pairs of jaws 28 of a transfer mechanism 30, one set of jaws being provided for each lane L.

The transfer mechanism 30 is operated in timed relation with the movement of the orienting mechanism 24, the singulator 22, and a continuously driven apple processing conveyor 32. The jaws of the transfer mechanism 30 moves in a generally elliptical path and transfers the associated apples from the dead plate 26 into associated ones of a plurality of apple supporting cups or pockets 34 formed in flights 36 of the conveyor 32. As illustrated in FIGURE 2, each flight 36 extends transversely of the conveyor and includes a plurality of the flat bottom, generally dish shaped pockets 34 having centrally disposed apertures therein, one pocket 34 in each flight 36 being provided for each lane L. It will be understood that the continuous operation of the singulator 22, alignment mechanism 24, and transfer mechanism 30 will place an oriented apple in each pocket 34 with its stem-blossom axis disposed substantially vertical.

With the pockets 34 filled with aligned apples, the continuously moving conveyor 32 moves the apples into alignment with a stemming and coring unit 37. The apples are first moved to a centering station CS (FIGS. 1 and 8) where each apple is centered in its cup by a centering mechanism 38. The apple is then moved. to a stemming station SS where the cavities or indents in both the stem end and blossom end of the apple are engaged by centering means to positively align the stem-blossom axis of the apple with an associated stemming tube 40 of a stemming unit 42 and to hold the apple in this position until the stemming tube has penetrated a considerable distance into the apple.

After insertion of the stemming tube 40 completely through the apple, and removal of the stem material from the stemming tube 40 and the stemming tube from the apple, the apple is moved into a coring or seed cell removing station SCS. While at this station, the stemblossom axis of the apple is again centered and the rotating cutter 44 (FIG. 8) of the associated coring unit 46 is moved through the cylindrical stem opening in the apple to the vertical mid-point of the apple before being moved outwardly a distance sufiicient to remove all the seed cell material from the apple. The height of the apple being processed is used as a gauge to locate the midpoint of the apple and also to determine the diameter of cut of the rotating seed cell cutter 44.

The cored apple is then moved to a washing station WS where all core material, if any, remaining in the cavity cut in the apple is removed by a stream of water under pressure directed into the apple through a washing tube 48. The cored apple is then discharged from the machine 20. by any suitable means such as a discharge convey or. 50;

As will be explained in more detail hereinafter, the centering mechanism 38, the stemming unit 42, the coring unit 46, and the washing tube 48 are all mounted for vertical and horizontal movement on a swinging carriage 52, The carriage'52 swings over the conveyor 32 in such a way that each tool or unit is lowered, remains in alignment with, and moves at the same horizontal speed as the apple being operated upon while each unit performs itsparticular function on the apple. The tools are then raised and are swung back over the conveyor 32 before again being lowered into operative position on the next following apples.

Since the mechanisms associated with each lane L are identical, wherever possible in the detailed description to follow reference will be made to the mechanisms associated with only one lane.

The orienting mechanism 24 (FIGS. 1 to 4) comprises an'upwardly inclined floor 60 (FIG. 3) with a downwardly inclined feed chute 62 integrally formed on the inlet end thereof and arranged to receive transverse rows of apples from the singulator 22. The floor 60 and chute 62 are divided into lanes L by upstanding guide rails 64 (FIG. 4) which serve to isolate the apples in each lane Lfrom apples in other lanes. The floor 60 and chute 62 are supported by upper inclined frame members 65 and lower inclined frame members 66, one upper and lower member being disposed on each side of the machine. The inclined members 65 and 66 are bolted to upstanding legs 67 and 68 of a main frame 74.

' While in the orienting mechanism 24, each apple is subjected to forces which tend to rotate the apple until such time as the apple assumes a stable position and comes to rest upon either its relatively flat stem end or its relatively fiat blossom end. Certain of these forces are applied to the apples in each lane by a pair of apple supporting, toothed conveyor belts 76 and 78 (FIGS. 3, 3A and 4) of high speed and low speed apple twisting conveyors 80 and 82, respectively. The upper runs of the belts 76 and 78 extend through elongated slots 84 (FIG. 3) in the floor 60and are guided along the inclined upper surface of a slide plate 85 bolted to the floor. The high speed belts 76 are trained around toothed drive pulleys 86 set screwed to a shaft 88, and around driven pulleys 90 journalled on a shaft 92. Similarly, the low speed belts 78 are trained around drive pulleys 94 set screwed to the shaft 92 and around driven pulleys (not shown) journalled on the shaft 88. The shafts are journalled in bearings 98 bolted to the lower frame members 66, and the driven pulleys are held indesired axial position on their respective shafts and separated from the adjacent drive pulleys by washers 100.

The high speed belts 76 are driven by a variable speed motor 106 which is connected to the shaft 88 by a belt drive 108, and the low speed belts 78 are driven by a variable speed motor 110 that is connected to the shaft 92 by a belt drive 112.

In order to aid the belts of the high speed and low speed twisting conveyors 80 and 82 in rotating each apple until it assumes a stable position on one of its fiat ends, and in order to maintain the timing of the singulated apples, a timing conveyor '120 (FIGS. 3 and 4) is provided to positively control the movement of each apple up the inclined portion of the alignment mechanism 24 and to aid in centering the apple transversely of the twisting conveyors.

The timing conveyor comprises a pair of drive sprockets 122 keyed to a drive shaft 124, and a pair of driven sprockets 126 keyed to a driven shaft 128 and dis posed in planar alignment with associated ones of the drive sprockets. The shafts 124 and 128 are journalled in bearing's 130 bolted to the upper frame members 65. Chains 132 are trained around the planar aligned pairs of sprockets and cooperate to support a plurality of evenly spaced, transversely extending pusher support bars 134.

A plurality of pushers 136 are rigidly supported on alternate bars 134 of the conveyor 120 and each pusher includes a stabilizing tongue 138 having a slot 139 (FIG. 3) therein within which the following support bar 134 is slidably received. It will be recognized that each alternate pusher supporting bar 134 carries one pusher for each lane L, and that the stabilizing tongues 138 engage the next adjacent bar thereby holding apple contacting arms 140 of the pushers substantially normal to the path of movement of the timing conveyor. As best shown in FIGURE 4, the forward and rear surfaces of each arm 140 are V- shaped and aid in centering the apples transversely in their associated lanes L.

The timing conveyor 120 is driven in a counterclockwise direction (FIG. 3), by drive means soon to be described, at the same speed as the processing conveyor 32 and slightly slower than the low speed twisting conveyor 82. Thus, each apple to be aligned will be confined between two of the pushers and the adjacent guide rails 64 and will .be advanced upwardly through the orienting mechanism 24 at the same speed as the processing conveyor 32.

Since both twisting conveyors 80 and 82 are moving in the same direction and are moving faster than the timing conveyor 120, each apple will tend to move upwardly along the inclined supporting surface against the V-shaped apple contacting surface of the preceding pusher 136, while gravity will tend to cause the apple to roll down the inclined surface against the V-shaped apple contacting surface of the following pusher. During this time the speed difference between the two twisting conveyors 80 and 82 will apply torque to the apple tending to rotate the apple about an axis normal to the inclined surface of the twisting conveyors. These forces acting on the apple cooperate to rotate the apple until a flat spot of the apple, i.e., the stem end or the blossom end of the apple, comes to rest upon the support surface of the twisting conveyors 80 and 82. When in this stable position, the difference in speed of the twisting conveyors acting on the stable apple is not suflicient to upset the stable condition of the apple.

The aligned apple is then moved either by the downstream pusher 136, or by the two twisting conveyors 80 and 82 which support the apple, to a dead plate 144 (FIGS. 3 and 4) which extends transversely of the conveyors and resists movement of the apple until the following pusher 136 pushes the oriented apple over the dead plate 144. It will be appreciated that the dead plate 144 delays the apple until the downstream pusher 136 advances it past the dead plate in proper timed relation with other operating components of the apple processing machine.

After being pushed over the dead plate 144, the apple moves onto the spacing conveyor 25. The spacing conveyor comprises three longitudinally extending endless belts 152 for each lane L. Each belt 152 is trained around a toothed drive pulley 154 (FIG. 3) keyed to a drive shaft 156, and around a toothed driven pulley 158 keyed to a driven shaft 160. The shafts 156 and 160 are journalled in pairs of bearings bolted to the main frame 74 of the machine.

The upper runs of the belts 152 extend through slots 166 (FIG. 4) in a horizontal extension 60a of the floor 60 and are slidably supported by a slide plate 167 bolted to the floor extension 6011. Guide rails 64a, which are extensions of the rails 64, retain the apples within their respective lanes L. The upper rungs of the belts of the spacing conveyor are driven toward the right (FIG. 3) at a speed slightly faster than the speed of the timing conveyor 120 so as to space adjacent apples in each lane a sufficient distance to permit operation of the transfer mechanism 30 without interference between the jaws thereof and the next downstream apple. The spacing conveyor 25 advances each apple, in turn, onto the aforementioned dead plate 26 for reception by the associated jaws 28 of the transfer mechanism 30. The transfer mechanism then places the oriented apple into one of the pockets 34 of the main processing conveyor 32.

The processing conveyor 32 comprises a pair of drive sprockets (FIG. 8) keyed to a drive shaft 172, a pair of driven sprockets 174 (FIG. 3) keyed to a driven shaft 176, and a pair of idler sprockets 178 keyed to an idler shaft 180. The shafts 172 and 176 arejournalled in bearings bolted to the main frame 174. The idler shaft 180 is journalled in bearings 184 mounted for vertical adjustment on the main frame 74 so as to apply the proper tension to endless chains 186 and 188 which are trained around planar aligned ones of the sprocket 170, 174 and 178 disposed on the left and right sides (FIG. 2) of the apple processing machine 20, respectively. The previously mentioned conveyor flights 36 (FIG. 6) having the pockets 34 formed therein, are bolted to transversely aligned links of the chains 186 and 188.

The upper runs of the processing conveyor 32 and the spacing conveyor 25, and the lower run of the timing conveyor 120 are all driven in timed relation toward the right as viewed in FIGURE 1 by a main drive system 192 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The main drive system 192 receives its power from a motor 194 (FIG. 2) which drives a speedchange mechanism 196 by a belt drive 198. The output of the speed-change mechanism 196 is coupled to a cam shaft 200 (FIG. 1) journalled in the main frame 74 of the machine. An inclined shaft 202, journalled in bearings 204 bolted to the frame 74, is driven from the cam shaft 200 by meshing bevel gears 206 and 208 which are keyed to the shafts 200 and 202, respectively. The lower end of the inclined shaft 202 has a bevel gear 209 keyed thereon which gear is in meshing engagement with a bevel gear 210 keyed to the drive shaft 172 of the processing conveyor 32 thereby completing the drive to the main processing conveyor.

The driven shaft 176 of the processing conveyor 32 has a large diameter gear 212 (FIGS. 1 and 4) keyed thereon, which gear meshes with a small diameter gear 214 keyed to a crankshaft 216 that extends transversely of and is journalled on the main frame 74 of the machine. The gears 212 and 214 are of such a size that the crankshaft 216 is driven one complete revolution each time a flight 36 on the processing conveyor 32 moves a distance equal to the spacing of the flights.

The spacing conveyor 25 is driven from the crankshaft 216 by a gear drive 218. The gear drive 218 includes a drive gear 220 (FIG. 3) keyed to the shaft 216 and a driven gear 222 keyed to the drive shaft 156 of the spacing conveyor 25.

The movable shuffies of the shuffie feed singulator 22 are connected to an arm 224 (FIG. 1) that is keyed to a shaft 228 journalled in bearings 230 bolted to the frame 74 of the machine. A second arm 226 that is keyed to shaft 228 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 231, while the other end of the link 231 is pivotally connected to a crank pin 232 secured to and projecting outwardly from a disc 234 that is keyed to the crankshaft 216. Thus, each revolution of the crankshaft 216 will cause the shuffle feed singulator 22 to move a transverse row of apples into the orienting mechanism 24.

The timing conveyor 120 is driven from the crankshaft 216 (FIG. 4) by a chain drive 236 which includes a sprocket 238 keyed to the shaft 216, a sprocket 240 keyed to the shaft 124, and the chain 242 trained around the sprockets. The sprocket size is selected so that one transverse row of apples are moved onto the spacing conveyor 25 each time a flight 36 of the processing conveyor 32 moves a distance equal to the spacing between these flights.

The transfer mechanism 30 (FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5) is provided in order to transfer each apple from the deadplate 26 (FIG. 3) into one of the pockets 34 of the con tinuously moving processing conveyor 32. The transfer mechanism 30 comprises a substantially vertical oscillating frame 260 which includes a pair of upstanding arms 262 (FIG. 3) and 264 (FIG. 1) keyed at their upper ends to a shaft 266 journalled in bearings 268 bolted to the main frame 74. A pivot shaft 270 is connected to the lower ends of the arms 262 and 264. The pivot shaft 270 pivotally supports one end of a generally horizontal frame 272 which includes a pair of longitudinally extending arms 274 and 276 interconnected by a transversely extending angle member 278.

As best shown in FIGURE 5, each pair of jaws 28 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 280 which includes a pair of vertical plates 282 and 284 welded to an angle spacer 286. The angle spacers 286 are bolted to an elongated, transversely extending angle member 288 and are positioned in alignment with their associated lanes. In order to maintain the lower edges of the brackets 280 substantially horizontal during operation of the transfer mecha nism 30, the two end brackets 280 are pivotally connected to the adjacent arms 274 and 276 by bolts 290. The lower ends of upright stabilizing arms 292 and 294 are bolted to the transverse angle members 288 near the ends thereof, and the upper ends of the arms are pivotally connected by links 296 and 298, respectively, to the arms 262 and 264 of the oscillating frame 260. Thus, it will be seen that the links 296 and 298; the horizontal arms 274 and 276; and the vertical arms 262, 264, 292 and 294 cooperate to define a parallelogram linkage.

Each pair of jaws 28 (FIG. comprises a generally T-shaped actuating lever 300 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 302 supported by the associated bracket 289. One arm 304 of the actuating lever 300 has one of the jaw elements 28a bolted thereto, and another arm 306 of the lever 300 has a cam follower 308 journalled thereon. A bell crank 310 is pivotally mounted on a pin 312 supported by the bracket 280 and includes a forked arm 314 which engages the cam follower 308. A second arm 316 of the bell crank 310 has the other jaw element 28b bolted thereto. Thus, actuation of the lever 300 will cause each jaw element 28a and 28b to move equal amounts in opposite directions.

In order to actuate each pair of jaws 28 in timed relation with the movement of the processing conveyor 32, a jaw cam 322 (FIG. 2) is keyed to the cam shaft 260 and pivotally actuates the rocker arm 324 (FIG. 1), which rocker arm is pivoted on a shaft 325 journalled in bearings bolted to the frame of the machine. The rocker arm 324 is connected to one end of a bell crank 326 by a link 327. The bell crank 326 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 266, and its other end is pivotally connected by a link 328 (FIGS. 3 and 5) to a lever 330 keyed to the shaft 270. A plurality of levers 332, one for each lane L, are keyed to the shaft 270 and each lever is pivotally connected to the actuating arm 334 of the associated T- shaped actuating lever 300 by a telescopic link 336.

Each link 336 comprises a tubular member 338 that is pivotally connected to the arm 334, and a rod 340 that is pivotally connected to the associated lever 332. A pin 342 secured to the rod 340 extends through slots 343 in the tubular member 338 and acts as a stop for one end of a compression spring 344. The other end of the spring 344 abuts one of a pair of lock nuts 346 screwed onto the tubular member 338. Thus, it will be seen that the pivotal movement of the shaft 270 through a predetermined arc in a counterclockwise direction (FIGS. 3 and 5) will cause movement of the link 336 toward the left (FIG. 3) causing the jaw elements 28a and 28b to move toward each other and grip an apple. After the apple has been gripped, the spring 344 will permit continued pivotal movement of the shaft 270 without movement of the associated jaws.

The contour of the cam 322 is diagrammatically illustrated in the transfer mechanism timing diagram shown in FIGURE 24. In this diagram, each ten degrees of cam travel is illustrated along the horizontal axis, and the vertical displacement of the jaw opening and closing curve 322a represents the separation of the jaw elements when an apple is not positioned there'oetween. It will be appreciated that each complete revolution of the cam 322 is completed while the processing conveyor is moving approximately four inches.

The vertical frame 260 is oscillated back and forth in timed relation with the movement of the components of the machine by a cam 350 (FIG. 2) keyed to the cam shaft 200 and having a cam contour 350a as illustrated in FIGURE 24. The cam 350 pivotally actuates a rocker arm 352 journalled on the shaft 325. A link 353 pivotally connects the rocker arm 352 to a lever 354 keyed to the shaft 266.

Similarly, the several pairs of jaws 28 are raised and lowered in timed relation with the movement with the other components of the machine by a cam 356 (FIG. 2) keyed on the cam shaft 200 and having a cam contour 356a as illustrated in FIGURE 24. The cam 356 pivotally actuates a rocker arm 358 journalled on the shaft 325. A link 359 pivotally connects the rocker arm 358 to an arm 360 which is keyed to a shaft 362 journalled in bearings 364 bolted to the frame of the machine. A pair of substantially horizontal arms 366 are keyed to the shaft 362 and are pivotally connected to the arms 274 and 276 of the horizontal frame 272 by a pair of telescoping links 368. The links 368 are similar in construction to the links 336 and therefore will not be described in detail.

In order to assure that all apples are properly oriented in the associated pockets 34, one or more operators may be positioned between the transfer mechanism 30 and the stemming and coring unit to orient any apple which is not supported on one of its ends.

After the orienting mechanism 24 has oriented each apple so that it is supported on one of its relatively fiat ends, and after the transfer mechanism 30 has transferred each apple and placed it in one of the pockets 34 of the conveyor 32 on one of its ends, each apple in turn must be registered with the apple stemming and coring unit 37 (FIG. 8). Each apple is first centered at the centering station CS of the unit 37, then aligned and stemmed at the stemming station SS, thereafter realigned and cored at the seed cell station CSC, and finally washed to remove the core material therefrom at the washing station WS.

In order to properly register each centering mechanism 38, stemming unit 42, and coring unit 46, with the associated pockets 34 of the continuously moving conveyor 32, the stem units are supported by the oscillating carriage 52 best shown in FIGURE 7. The carriage 52 comprises a pair of spaced, parallel, vertically extending side members 382 of irregular shape, only one being shown in FIG- URE 7. As diagrammatically shown in FIGURE 7, the side members 382 are each in the form of plates with one member being positioned parallel to and spaced slightly outward from one side of the processing conveyor 32 and the other member being spaced slightly outward from the other side of the conveyor. Although in practice, the side members 382 are provided with cut-outs, as illustrated in FIGURE 1 to lighten the carriage 52, the side member 382 has been shown in FIGURE 7 as a solid plate for clarity of illustration. The side members are interconnected by transversely extending channel members 384, 386, 388, 390, 391, 392 and 394 to provide a rigid carriage construction.

The carriage 52 is mounted for oscillating movement by a pair of forward rocker arms 396, and by a pair of rear rocker arms 398. The upper ends of the rear rocker arms 398 are keyed to a shaft 406 journalled on the frame 74 of the machine, while the lower ends of these arms are each pivotally connected to the adjacent side members 382 by pins 402. The forward rocker arms 396 are welded at their upper ends to a large diameter tubular shaft 404 which is journalled on the frame 74 of the machine. The lower ends of these arms are pivotally connected to the adjacent side members 382 by pins 406.

The carriage 52 is oscillated in timed relation with 

2. IN A MACHINE FOR PROCESSING APPLES OR THE LIKE, THE COMBINATION OF A CONVEYOR, A PLURALITY OF POCKETS ON SAID CONVEYOR EACH HAVING A CENTRALLY DISPOSED APERTURE THEREIN, EACH POCKET HAVING AN APPLE SUPPORTED ON ONE OF ITS ENDS THEREIN, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CONVEYOR ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH, SUPPORT MEANS DISPOSED ABOVE SAID CONVEYOR AND MOVING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND AT THE SAME SPEED AS SAID CONVEYOR, A FRUSTO-CONICAL CENTERING MECHANISM SUPPORTED BY SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND HAVING ITS AXIS COINCIDENT WITH THE AXIS OF THE APERTURE IN A FIRST ONE OF SAID POCKETS, CARRIER MEANS ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND MOVABLE RELATIVE THERETO FOR LOWERING SAID MECHANISM ONTO AN APPLE IN SAID FIRST POCKET TO CENTER SAID APPLE, A ROD CARRIED BY SAID CARRIER MEANS AND CONCENTRIC WITH THE APERTURE IN A SECOND POCKET, SAID ROD BEING SUPPORTED BY SAID CARRIER MEANS AND BEING LOWERED THEREBY INTO THE UPPER END CAVITY OF A SECOND APPLE IN THE SECOND POCKET TO ACCURATELY LOCATE THE UPPER END OF THE STEM-BLOSSOM AXIS OF SAID SECOND APPLE, A CENTERING PIN CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND DISPOSED BELOW SAID CONVEYOR, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID PIN THROUGH THE APERTURE IN SAID SECOND POCKET TO ENGAGE THE LOWER END CAVITY OF THE APPLE FOR ACCURATELY LOCATING THE LOWER END OF THE STEM-BLOSSOM AXIS OF THE SECOND APPLE AND TO SUPPORT THE APPLE ABOVE THE SURFACE OF SAID POCKET, A STEMMING TUBE SLIDABLE RECEIVED AROUND SAID ROD AND RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO SAID CARRIER MEANS TO BE MOVED THEREBY THROUGH SAID SECOND APPLE TO SEVER THE STEM MATERIAL THEREFROM, SAID MEANS FOR MOVING SAID PIN BEING MAINTAINED IN POSITION TO SUPPORT THE APPLE WHILE SAID STEMMING TUBE IS BEING MOVED THROUGH A SUFFICIENT PORTION OF SAID SECOND APPLE TO MAINTAIN ALIGNMENT OF SAID STEM-BLOSSOM AXIS AND THEREAFTER RETRACT SAID PIN BELOW SAID CONVEYOR TO CAUSE THE STEMMING TUBE TO BE MOVED COMPLETELY THROUGH THE SECOND APPLE WHILE THE APPLE IS SEATED IN SAID SECOND POCKET. 